Sunday, April 30, 2006
City to allow rallies on May 1 sans permit
By Barbara Carla R. Quiero
DAVAO CITY -- While other local government units in the country is strictly enforcing the no rally no permit policy for Monday's Labor Day celebration, the City Government of Davao is allowing labor groups to stage protest rallies even without a permit.
This after various labor groups have expressed their intention to stage mass protests on Monday to mark the 104th celebration of Labor Day. Organizers expressed optimism this year's Labor Day mass rally will be the biggest, so far.
Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Southern Mindanao secretary general Omar Bantayan said they are expecting some 10,000 workers, belonging to progressive groups KMU, Samahan ng mga Maralitang Kababaihang Nagkakaisa (Samakana), Anakpawis, Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay), among others, will join the mass protest that will be staged in three different areas in Davao City and culminate at the Rizal Park.
City Administrator Wendel E. Avisado said the mayor's policy on protest activities have not changed, allowing mass actions to take place even without securing a permit.
Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte allows any and all kinds of mass actions. Protesters are allowed to express their grievance against the government or ventilate whatever issues, local or national.
Avisado, however, was quick to say that Duterte might change his mind and be stricter.
"We are only waiting for the instruction of the mayor if he is going to make it difficult or a bit strict for the militant groups to conduct mass actions if, for example, we will now require them to secure a permit," he said.
Avisado said whenever there are mass protests, Duterte instructs the police and the military to secure the groups holding such activities against possible provocateurs of chaos but not to prevent them from holding their activities.
Avisado, however, advice groups to exercise restraint and avoid creating trouble.
"At the same time the City Government will do its usual job of providing alternative source of all process of action just to ensure that these mass actions will follow the law and will not be a cause for trouble, otherwise the government will come in," he said. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
(April 30, 2006 issue)
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